Forever Chemicals
Maybe you are tracing your own long-term health and the water you have been drinking for years finally crossed your mind. That is a thoughtful reason to be here. In Ohio, the Environmental Protection Agency oversees public drinking water through its Division of Drinking and Ground Waters, and the state has run broad PFAS sampling of its systems. The figures below come from that public-system monitoring, and what the records show is worth reviewing when evaluating an address. Take it as context rather than a conclusion, since no statewide dataset can tell you exactly what is happening at one tap.
EPA's UCMR 5 program (2021–2024) tested 53 public water systems in Ohio for 29 PFAS compounds; 11 reported at least one detection and none exceeded the 2024 federal limit of 4 ppt for PFOA/PFOS (a 21% detection rate). Detections vary by water system — check the utility serving a specific Ohio address.
In Ohio, drinking-water oversight runs through the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (Ohio EPA) and its Division of Drinking and Ground Waters, which administers public-water-system standards statewide. Ohio is among the states that rely on the federal limits the agency administers rather than setting its own enforceable PFAS drinking-water number ahead of the April 2024 rule, though it has run extensive PFAS sampling of public systems. The Ohio EPA tends to work within that federal framework, so the figures below largely reflect monitoring conducted under the national program.
Numbers below come straight from EPA UCMR 5 monitoring (2021–2024). Every public water system in Ohioserving more than 3,300 people had to test for 29 different PFAS — here's what they reported.
53
Water systems tested
UCMR 5 (2021–2024)
11
Systems with any PFAS detected
21% detection rate
0
Systems exceeding 2024 MCL
Above 4 ppt PFOA/PFOS
8
Distinct PFAS compounds detected
Of 29 monitored under UCMR 5
0
TRI-reporting PFAS facilities
EPA Toxics Release Inventory 2024
2
DoD PFAS installations
Military PFAS contamination sites
Red triangles are military installations the Department of Defense has flagged for PFAS from firefighting foam. Orange dots are industrial facilities that reported PFAS to the EPA Toxics Release Inventory. If your future home sits near a cluster, that's a conversation worth having with the seller or landlord.
These are the Ohioutilities where EPA testing found PFAS the most often or at the highest levels. Being on this list doesn't automatically mean today's tap water is unsafe — some systems have added treatment since these samples were taken — but it means a conversation with the utility is worth having before you move in.
| Water system | Detections | Max value (ng/L) | vs 2024 MCL |
|---|---|---|---|
| BLUFFTON VILLAGE | 4 | 0.04 | Below MCL |
| INDIAN HILL CITY PWS | 3 | 0.01 | Below MCL |
| SHADYSIDE PUBLIC WATER SYSTEM | 5 | 0.01 | Below MCL |
| GALLIA CO RURAL WATER ASSOCIATION | 1 | 0.01 | Below MCL |
| GALION CITY | 1 | 0.01 | Below MCL |
| MARTINS FERRY PUBLIC WATER SYSTEM | 2 | 0.01 | Below MCL |
| BARNESVILLE, OH | 1 | 0.01 | Below MCL |
| ST. CLAIRSVILLE, CITY OF PWS | 1 | 0 | Below MCL |
| GEORGETOWN VILLAGE PWS | 1 | 0 | Below MCL |
| ELIDA VILLAGE | 3 | 0 | Below MCL |
PFAS isn't one chemical — it's a family of thousands. Here are the specific compounds EPA picked up most often across Ohio water systems. PFOA and PFOS are the two with the strictest federal limits (4 parts per trillion).
For decades the military trained with AFFF firefighting foam loaded with PFAS. It soaked into soil and groundwater and, in many places, traveled miles. If you're house-hunting near any of these Ohio installations, the address report will tell you exactly how close.
Toledo Express ANGB
Air Force
Wright Patterson AFB
Air Force
Looking at a specific Ohiocity? Each page below pulls the same federal data narrowed to that water system — useful whether you're relocating, buying, organizing your neighborhood around getting cleaner water, or just trying to find out what's in the tap and what's around you.
Ohio's military and aviation history gives the water question real weight for many families. For decades, the firefighting foam known as AFFF was used in training, and it carries PFAS compounds that linger in soil and groundwater long after the foam itself is gone. For veterans and military families, that can mean the water around a base where you served or raised your kids. The installations listed above are flagged because of that documented link between foam use and groundwater PFAS. That connection is why these sites draw scrutiny; it does not by itself say what is in any one home's water today, which is why an address-level look is the grounded next step.
Yes. EPA UCMR 5 monitoring (2021–2024) tested 53 public water systems in Ohio; 11 had at least one PFAS detection. Detections vary by water system — check your specific serving utility.
Ohio is among the states that rely on the federal limits the Ohio EPA administers rather than its own enforceable PFAS drinking-water number, though it has done extensive public-system sampling. The federal limits, set in April 2024, are 4 ppt for PFOA and PFOS and 10 ppt for PFHxS, PFNA, and GenX.
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, through its Division of Drinking and Ground Waters, oversees public water systems and tends to follow the federal PFAS framework while running its own sampling. The posture is largely federal-default, meaning residents are covered by the national limits the Ohio EPA administers.
The Ohio Environmental Protection Agency is the state's environmental agency, with public drinking-water oversight handled through its Division of Drinking and Ground Waters. It is distinct from the federal EPA, though the two work within the same regulatory framework.
Use VetMyAddress to see the PFAS detections reported for the public water system serving any Ohio address, alongside nearby military bases and industrial PFAS sources. The data comes from EPA UCMR 5, EPA TRI, and the DoD PFAS installation report.
In April 2024 the EPA set the first enforceable federal limits for PFAS in drinking water: 4 parts per trillion for PFOA and PFOS, and 10 ppt each for PFHxS, PFNA, and HFPO-DA (GenX), plus a Hazard Index for certain mixtures. Public water systems must complete initial monitoring by 2027 and come into compliance after that.
No. The federal limits apply to public water systems. Private well owners are responsible for their own testing and treatment, which is especially worth doing near a known PFAS source like a military base or industrial site.
State numbers tell you the pattern. An address report tells you what's actually in the water at yourkitchen sink — the matched utility, the PFAS detections on file, and every military or industrial source nearby. Whether it's for your family, your neighbors, or peace of mind.
Data sources: EPA UCMR 5 bulk data · EPA TRI 2024 · DoD PFAS installation report